East Basin parking is always well plowed and accommodates lots of cars

Surface Conditions:

Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Black, Ice - Blue

Recommended Equipment:

Light Traction, Traction, Ice Axe

Water Crossing Notes:

All the brooks were partially open but easily crossed on rocks

Trail Maintenance Notes:

no blowdowns, but Flume Slide trail could use some more blazes, particularly when the trail zig zags and the last part before one hits the slide. If one is not very familiar with this trail it is easy to get lost; thanks to the boot marks from previous hiker I might not have hit the slide.

Dog-Related Notes:

I don't think the slide would be doable. On all other trails they would not have a problem

Bugs:

Lost and Found:

Comments:

The Flume Slide trail has only been packed out by barebooters. I put on my microspikes once I hit Liberty Spring trail as the footing was quite icy under the one inch new layer of snow. Hikers who had barebooted Flume Slide trail went in, up, down, and back as far as I could tell from the foot prints. The slide was one frozen waterfall and I took my time, cautiously placing my full crampons on the ice step by step. At the upper third I veered to the left into the trees, following the footsteps. It would be best to stay on the left only for about 100 feet and then ease to right again where there is an opening to the regular trail. I followed the previous footsteps and the last few feet,before hitting the regular trail again, were through thick conifers. With the new snow on the trees I got pretty wet. Met only one hiker as I headed down from Liberty.

Name:

Georg

E-Mail:

georg3@comcast.net

Date Submitted:

2011-01-05

Link:

http://

Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.